Apple's privacy announcements are a positive step. But we cannot accept they don't know--and aren't taking advantage of--the dramatic changes transforming financial (and health) decision-making due to the convergence of our digital lifestyle and Big Data-driven society. We believe Apple is repositioning itself to be a "middleman" between its customers and partners--which are the banks, credit card companies, retailers, fast food restaurants and health services. The business for Apple, Google and practically everyone else is to collect as much data on

Live Nation Entertainment is "the world's leading live entertainment company." Like everyone else, it wants to use the data it gathers on its customers to target them online. Although the company, in this interview, says this will be done in a privacy way, they should be required to publicly demonstrate the case. This is something the FTC and other regulators should also review. Here's the excerpt from the

Whether a scoop or a purposeful leak to the The Information online news site in order to gauge political reaction, Google's plans to begin micro-targeting children 12 and younger is a critical public policy and child welfare issue. As the leading digital

Marketing companies test--yes, that's what they do. But in the digital age, where the ability to closely follow, analyze and influence an individual based on their location and data is a common practice, market research requires new safeguards. Agencies working with Facebook just won a award for its use of research in the EU. But what was done raises questions, and is linked, in our opinion, to Facebook's work to

Facebook is expanding its research activities in order to encourage the largest brand advertisers to spend more money on its online and mobile platforms. Its research isn't really about objective scholarship--but about better targeting you and your network of friends and contacts. For example, Facebook is using research to enhance how its Instagram acquisition can make more money, recently explaining that "Instagram is an incredible platform for marketers to influence the way people feel about the world." Facebook's

Facebook is in the business of delivering you and your network of friends and relationships to advertisers and marketers. You are its product, that it serves up to fast food, credit, entertainment, alcohol, apparel, and even political campaigns. Facebook's research department is all about improving how it helps getting individuals to better respond to marketing, especia